Ocracoke Light

Ocracoke Light, built in 1823 by Massachusetts builder Noah Porter on Ocracoke Island, was designed to guide ships through Ocracoke Inlet into Pamlico Sound. It remains North Carolina’s oldest operating light station and the state’s second oldest surviving lighthouse. The 75-foot tower narrows sharply from base to top and has been altered over time, especially after automation in 1955 eliminated the need for its original wooden stair. The lighthouse also reflects Civil War history: Confederate troops removed its Fresnel lens in 1864, and Union forces later restored it. Today it remains a prominent historic landmark and active navigational aid on the Outer Banks.

Ocracoke, North Carolina · United States